Cleansing Balm v Cleanser

[tinysleepy]

I'm confused!
I have recently starting using Clinique Take the Day Off cleansing balm which I love; however, when I went into to get a full-size pot the Clinique woman said it's not a cleanser, its designed to remove make-up.
She said there are separate cleansers.

Errrrrr...isn't that what a cleanser does?
Is this an adding-more-products-to-routine for the sake of it thing, or do they do different things? Help!

Balms are lush! I aspire to Emma Hardie but use no7. They just melt the make up and dirt away and are so gently. Leave cleansers for dead. I just double cleanse with balm.

I've had that from Clinique reps. I just try to give them a swerve, if I can. I've been using the REN evercalm cleanser recently, anyhow.

I’ve heard this too but been using the body shop camomile for years at night to take make up off and have never used anything else after it. I think my face would feel that stripped tight way if I did.

This is true it's a pre cleanse based on oil attracts oil and removes your make up. Then you require a treatment cleanser.

Maybe it depends on your skin type, mine is sensitive combination.
I use TTDO and EH balms to remove make up followed by a gel type cleanser to cleanse my skin.
If I don't then I get huge cystic spots on my jawline and my cheeks build up with small red pimples.

Can see if you have oily/combination skin you might want a gel after to clean the balm off.

But a treatment cleanser? The stuff is only on your face for seconds, how much treating can it do?

I double cleanse at night with Eve Lom oil based balm, the Kiehls cleanser. I think of the eve Lom taking off the make up and the kiehls cleaning my face.

In morning just the eve Lom. Because it's so lush lush lush.

My skin has never been happier!

She’s just advocating double cleansing I suppose but obviously interested in two sales instead of one. I do double cleanse with an oil cleanser then followed by a wash off cleanser but I have oily skin, wear spf and makeup daily so a double cleanse at night feels right for me.

I think I'll just continue with the Clinique TTDO & see how I go. My face feels super clean, perhaps some skin types don't need a double cleanse?

How are these cleansing balms with acne?

As a beauty therapist you should really double cleanse. As for the acne question if it's sebaceous acne cleansing oils are a better choice oil attracts oil, then a treatment cleanser possibly a clay type cleanser is a good choice.

Balms and oils are the first part of a double cleansing routine usually but it’s not recommended for normal or combination / oily skin. Oilier skins are better off using miceller water then foaming cleanser - will get off the make up, gunk, and keep pores tight.

seventh I've just stopped using my sample of Clinique's TTDO as it was making me break out really badly - I think it was too greasy. 2 days later my (acne-prone) skin is a lot better. It's a shame as I use clinique products for all of my skincare and this removes makeup really well but I'm going to be sticking with other cleansers now.

Thanks all

@lilacandlemonade

What cleansers do you find work for you? And do you double cleanse?

I currently double cleanse at night with Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm and Khiels Ultra Facial Cleanser. It's working for me so far.

Elemis pro collagen cleansing balm beats Emma Hardie hands down.

I haven't tried TTDO, although I like Eve Lom what's with the smell?!?!

Whatever your skin type, you definitely need wash off cleanser after an oil or balm. If you have dry skin just use a wash off cleanser for sets skins. Otherwise you are not cleansing your skin. You are only removing lost of the makeup but skin stays dirty. Plus when cleansing in the morning, you have to use the wash off cleanser, balm is of no use.
If balm was actually cleaning your skin, imagine using it on your body instead of soap and then just get out of the bath without actually washing. Yuk.

If it’s working for you, I wouldn’t worry about what the “official” advice is.

Some skins do not need double cleansing, if you're only wearing little to no make up then a single cleanse is fine ONLY if you do it thoroughly. So make sure you massage the balm into your skin for a good minute or two then wet hands and massage again (the balm will turn into a milk when you add water) then remove with a warm flannel until it's completely gone.

I got a sample of Clinique TTDO yesterday & tried it last night. Was super impressed but I can’t help feeling disappointed that it doesn’t smell amazing (I’m a sucker for something that smells gorgeous, like Bobbi Brown’s balm which is fab but I can’t justify £50 on it!). I’m going to try the sample of the No7 balm tonight, will be interesting to see the difference between Clinique.

Can I ask what 2nd cleansers you would recommend for a 46 yr old classic combination skin. I’m currently swopping between L’Occitane Precious cleansing foam & the Aldi Lacura dupe of LE cleanse & polish. Thank you 😀

@cheshiremama89 omg the smell is one of the reasons I LOVE eve Lom am I weird???

Elemis pro collagen cleansing balm beats Emma Hardie hands down.

In what ways @cheshiremama89 ? I'm looking for alternatives to try

@Fullfatlatte it's miles better for your skin not to have fragrance in it as it can irritate some people's skins. So that's actually a bonus/selling point.

I make my own make up remover out of raw cocoa butter, rapeseed oil and bergamot oil. I also use it as a body butter. A huge jar probably costs me £5 and its fab on wrinkly knees and crepey hands.
I then treatment cleanse with Environ sebuwash which keeps blocked pores at bay. Costs £16.

I use Clinique TTDO because it has no smell! I think I react to fragrance in products, so like the no-scent part of TTDO.

Neweternal - Why double cleanse? I am being stupid in thinking this is stripping the skin of natural oils and skin barrier more than necessary?